Pneumatic pump.



HUS. ROGERS.

PNEUMATIC PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I, 1916.

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Henna s. ROGERS, or mrnwaunnn, Wisconsin,- assumes; no ronrr a. harm, or

' mrnvveomn, Wisconsin.

PNEUMAEIG BUMP.

Specification of Letters lPatent.

application filed December 1, 1913. serial No. 134,225.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that l, Humane S. Rooms, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Pneumatic Pumps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

llhis invention relatesto pneumatic pumps and the objects of the invention are to improve the construction and operation of pneumatic pumps in the manner to be here inaiter described and claimed.

Pneumatic pumps, as heretofore constructed, have been objectionable in that they permitted, or under certain conditions could permit, the escape of air by leakage, and the principal object of this invention is to so change and improve the construction of such pumps that a liquid seal is always maintained between the pump chamber, or chambers, and the motor so that air cannot leak from a pump chamber through the motor.

Referring to the drawings which accompany this specification and form a part hereof, which drawings illustrate an embodiment of this invention, and on which drawings the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts wherever they may appear in each of the several views, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a pump, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of parts of the pump, on an enlarged scale.

The pump illustrated is a double pump in which one chamber is filling while the other is being emptied, and in some respects is like the pneumatic pump of my rior application, Serial Number 44,143, led August 7, 1915.

Referring, to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a lower head, 2 an intermediate head, and 3 an upper head. 'llhese heads and the casings 4 and 5 form the pump chambers 6 and 7. lhe lower head 1 is provided with the water inlet valve 9 l and the water outlet valve 10, and the intermediate head 2 is provided with the water inlet valve 11 and the water outlet valve 12. The reference numeral. 13 designates the water discharge pipe which is in communication with the valve chamber 14 in the intermediate head 2 and which is also in communication with the valve chamber 16 in the lower head 1 through valve chamber 14 and pipe 15.

A motor-17 is secured to the upper head 3 and includes a fluid-operable member'such as, for example, the iston 18, movable in the cylinder 19, whic' is provided with a Patented one a, rats,

piston rod 20 to actuate a rocker arm 21 to shift the air valve 22 to admit compressed air into one or the other of the pump chambers 6 and 7 to force water therefrom, while at the same time permitting the compressed air to escape or exhaust from the other pump chamber so that water will fill that pump chamber The reference numeral 23 designates a compressed air pipe which is' in communication with any suitable supply of compres sed air and from which compressed air can pass through ports 24 and 25, around which are the raised valve seats 26 and 27, into the air chambers 28 and 29. A bore 30 and a pipe 31 afl'ord communication between the air chamber 28 and the upper part of the pump chamber 6, and a bore 32 and a nipple 33 afi'ord communication between the air chamber 29 and the upper part of the pump chamber 7. The compressed air is admitted to the pump chamber 6, or is exhausted therefrom, through bore 30 and pipe 31, and is admitted to pump chamber 7, or is exhausted therefrom, through bore 32 and nip- .ple 33, according to the position occupied by the air valve 22. v

A float valve 34, inclosed in a cage 35, prevents water from passing from the pump chamber 6 up into the pipe 31, and a float valve 36, inclosed in a cage 37, prevents water from passing from pump chamber 7 up through t enipple 33.

The air valve 22 is a compound valve and has two valve members at each end thereof, the construction being clearly shown in section at the right hand end of the valve by Fig. 2 of the drawings. Flanged plugs 38 and 39 are screwedinto the ends of the body of the air valve 22 and are provided with packing to make tight closure upon raised valve seats 40 and 41, The plugs 38 and 39 are bored and counterbored to receive valve members 42 and 43 which are provided with packing to make tight closure upon the raised valve seats 26 and 27; The valve members 42 and 43 are forced outwardly by springs 44, the extent of movement being limited by heads'45 on the stems 46. This construction permits differential movements.

between the valve members 42 and 43 and the-flanged plugs-38 and 39 so that, whenever a .valve member '42 or 43 contacts with its seat, the valve 22 can still be moved sufficiently to seat it firmly against the raised valve seat .40 or 41, as the case may be. An-

'other important point, or advantage, is

gained by this construction, viz.the valve 22 is retained in one or the other of its ex- I treme positions of movementby reason of the compressed air exertin its pressure upon'a greater area of the va ve at that end of the valve where compressed air is being admitted to a pump chamber. The outlet ports 47 and 48. which Permit the compressed airto exhaust from the air chambers 28 and 29 and pump chambers 6 and 7, are of large size as compared with the compressed air ports 24 and so that there is sufficient difl'erence between the air pressures holes 53 and 54 in its upper part on oppo- I water admitted to the cylinder 19.

on the opposite ends of the air valve 22 to hold it firmly against either the valve seat 26 or the valve seat 27. It is to be understood, of course, that the springs 44 exert. sufficient pressure to prevent the compressed.

air from forcing the two valve members 42 and 43 from their seats 26 and 27.

air, which exhausts from the pump chambers 6 and 7 and the air chambers 28 and 29 through the exhaust ports 47 and '48 into the interior of the casing 49, can

exhaust to the atmosphere through an 'exhaust port 50. The pump can be placed in the water so that the exhaust port 50 is above the surface of the water, or, if the pump be wholly submerged, a pipe 51 can be extended from the exhaust port 50 to a point above the surface of the water.

A. spring 52 positions the air valve 22 at an extreme position of movement to insure prompt and proper starting of the pump when installed or when the compressed air is shut ofl from the pump and turned on again.

The cylinder 19 is provided with bleed site sides of the piston 18. Air liberated from the water can escape from the cylinder '19 through these bleed holes and some water can also be forced from the cylinder through these bleed holes.

The pump chambers 6 and 7 are intendedthe low water levels in the pump chambers 7 and 6 so that compressed air cannot escape,

is adapted to be closed by avalve 59 which can be raised or lowered bya float 60, and the lower end of the pipe connection 58 is adapted to be closed by a-valve 61 which can be'raised .or lowered by a float 62.

The operation of the pump will be readily pipe connections 56'and 58 terminate below. I

understood from, an inspection of the drawings. Referring to Fig. 1'of the drawings, the water is being discharged, or forced, from the upper pump chamber 7 and the lower pump chamber '6 is still filling. The water level in the upper pump chamber 7 has receded to such a low level that the weight of the float 60 has popped the valve 59 open and the pressure ofthe compressed air 1n the pump chamber 7, acting on the water in the pump chamber and the water in pipe connection 56 and inthe bore 55 and in the left hand end of the cylinder 19, will immediately move the piston 18 to the right and the air valve 22 to the left. This movement of the air valve 22 will close port 25, thereby shutting oh the supply of compressed air to the pump chamber 7, and

will open the exhaust port 48, permitting the air in-pump chamber 7 to exhaust and this pump chamber will begin filling-with water. This movement of the air valve 22 will close exhaust port 47 and open the compressed air port 24 so that water will be discharged, or forced,'from pump chamber 6 while the pump chamber 7 is being filled. When the water level in pump chamber 6 falls sufficiently low, the valve 61 will be opened and the air valve 22 will be reversed.

It is to be understood, of course, that the bleed'holes 53 and 54 are of less area than the pipe connections 56 and 58 and the bores 55 and 57.

,The' valves 59 and 61 are not opened slowly but are popped open for the following reasons: The floats 60 and 62 only require enough buoyant power to close these valves. When the compressed air is on a pump chamber and the valve in that chamher is closed, the valve will be held closed by the excess of pressure in the pump chamber over the pressure inthe pipe connection communicatin with the cylinder 19. en the water leve in the pump chamber lowers suficiently, the float acts as a weight to open the valve but the valve will not be opened until the water levelhas lowered so much, and left so much of the float out of water, that the weight of the float is greater than the pressure keeping the "valve closed. When the weight of the float opens the valve, the float will drop, or sink, in the water to its line of flotation. This action naenora causes the pressure to be applied to the piston 18 suddenly to reverse the air valve 22 quickly and prevents the air valve 22 from being moved by a slow seepage of actuating fluid into the cylinder 19. When both valve members 63 and 64 are ofl' from their seats 40 and 41, compressed air can be wasted by blowing to exhaust through ports 24 and 47 and ports 25 and 48, but when the air valve 22 is moved quickly from one extreme position to the other extreme position, the waste of compressed air is negligible.

It will be understood, of course, referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, that as the piston 18 is moved toward the right, the water in the right hand end of the cylinder 19 opens the valve 61 and exhausts into the pump chamber 6, as this pump chamber is open to the atmosphere until the valve member 63 closes the port 47. Some of the water also exhausts through the bleed hole 53.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pneumatic pump, the combination with a pump chamber, provided with water inlet and outlet valves, of an air valve and a fluid motor for actuating said air valve, said motor being connected with the lower part of the pump chamber below the low water level therein for pressure and exhaust so that a water seal will be maintained be- 'tween the motor. and the air in the pump chamber.

2. In a pneumatic pump, the combination with a pump chamber, provided with water inlet and outlet valves, of an air valve, a fluid motor for actuating said air valve, said motor being connected with the lower part of the pump chamber below the low water level therein for ressure and exhaust so'that a water seal Wlll be maintained between the motor and the air in the pump chamber, and a float actuated valve to control communication between the pump chamber and the motor.

3. In a pneumatic pump, the combination with pump chambers, provided with water inlet and outlet valves, of an air valve, a fluid motor fo actuating said air valve, said motor being connected with the lower parts of the pump chambers below the low water levels therein for pressure and exhaust so that water seals will be maintained between the motor and the air in the pump chambers, valves to control communication between the pump chambers and the motor, and floats to close said valves by buoyancy and to open said valves-by gravity.

4. In a pneumatic pump, the combination with pump chambers and a valve for admitting compressed air to said pump chambers. of fluid actuated means for operating said valve, and means adapted to move said fluid actuated means and said valveto retain the valve in one of its extreme positions when there is no ai pressure on the pump.

5. In a pneumatic pump, the combination with pump chambers and a head provided with oppositely located air inlet ports, air chambers adjacent thereto and outlet ports through which the air chambers are adapted to be placed in communication with the exhaust, of an air valve provided with flanged plugs at each end adapted to close the outlet ports, and also provided with valve members at each end adapted 'to close said air inlet ports, and yieldable means to permit further movements of the air valve after a valve member has contacted with its seat so that'two valve members may seat air-tight on their respective seats.

6. In a pneumatic pump, the combination of pump chambers, an air valve, a fluid motor comprising a cylinder and a piston, and means for permitting water to be forced from the pump chambers to the cylinder to actuate the piston and the air valve, the cylinder being provided with bleed holes in the top thereof.

In witness whereof 1 hereto aflix my signature.

HOMER S. ROGERS. 

